Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion
This lotion is quick-absorbing, lightweight, and not greasy. Each application provides 24 hours of hydration. It contains essential ceramides, which help make up the skins barrier.
The product is fragrance-free and allergy-tested. It has a National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, and it has been dermatologist-tested for use on sensitive, dry, and oily skin.
A 562-ml bottle of CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is available online for $17.78.
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Roll
This Innisfree serum is an eye roll-on packaged product that comes highly recommended by Powell for those with dry skin.
Serums are where you can pack the punch in treating concerns with your skin, Powell said. If you are sensitive, its best to stay away from synthetic fragrances as they can irritate sensitive skin.
Dry skin needs extra hydration, so I love the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum as it provides immediate hydration and leaves the skin soft and glowing, Powell said. Use this product before your moisturizer for an added boost of hydration that keeps your skin soft and hydrated all day long.
Why Shop With Us
Olivia Cefalu is a Brooklyn-based freelance beauty editor and writer. She covers everything beauty and wellness related, and has a real passion for SPF, a good facial, and nail art. With bylines in Shape, Well & Good, Fatherly, Ipsy, Real Simple and Very Good Light, her research is thorough and inspired by a passion for teaching others about beauty practices and products.
She has struggled with eczema throughout her life and navigated very difficult food and skincare product allergies. Her best advice to anyone struggling with sensitive skin is to avoid known allergies, get a patch test from your dermatologist if needed, read product descriptions thoroughly, and when in doubt go back to the basics! There is no shame in basic skincare products that are proven to work and hydrate compromised skin and skin barriers. For this story she spoke with board-certified dermatologists Dr. Morgan Rabach, Dr. Joshua Zeichner, Dr. Caren Campbell, and Dr. Antony Nakhla. She also spoke with Jennifer Weiss, a New York City-based Physician Assistant at , and Roberta Moradfar, Celebrity Aesthetics Nurse Practitioner & Founder of EFFACÈ Aesthetics
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What Is Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin has an impaired skin barrier function which makes the skin more sensitive and prone to easily drying out, explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. Skin conditions like rosacea, atopic dermatitis and eczema all fall under the sensitive skin umbrella. Skin sensitivity varies by person and can be triggered by something as simple as a beauty product, environmental factors or a bigger skin condition. If youre noticing redness on the skin, but are unsure if it classifies as sensitive, its best to consult with your dermatologist for a proper diagnosis.
What Ingredients Should You Look For In A Moisturizer
Dr. Hartman lists hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides as important ones. Hyaluronic acid increases the skins moisture level and traps water in the skin, plus it can help boost the skins elasticity. Glycerin is also a hydration booster, and ceramides protect your skin barrier from external pollutants or irritants.
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Best With Spf: La Roche
Walgreens
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Chemical sunscreen ingredients can be irritating
When it comes to streamlining and speeding up your a.m. routine, opting for a moisturizer with built-in SPF is the way to go. Unlike many formulas that cap it at SPF 15 , this one contains SPF 30. Plus, Ceramides, niacinamide, and glycerin help with hydration and skin repair, and the brands proprietary thermal water has antioxidant properties, says Dr. Rodney.
Price at time of publish: $16
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, oxybenzone | Skin Type: All | Size: 2.5 fluid ounces | SPF: Yes, 30 | Cruelty-Free: No | No
Fragrance-free and dermatologist-tested, this formula touts two unique soothers. One is a ferment derived from a rare mushroom the other is a probiotic that also helps fight environmental aggressors. Combined with ceramides and pomegranate sterols that work to restore the skin barrier, this is ideal for calming irritation and has a lovely, cloud-like texture, to boot.
Price at time of publish: $45
Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, pomegranate sterols, Ganoderma, bifida extract | Skin Type: All | Size: 1 or 1.7 ounces | SPF: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes | No
Best Gel: Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin
Amazon
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Unhygienic packaging
Byrdie Associate Editorial Director, Holly Rhue recommends this gel pick, a choice option for those who prefer lighter hydration. Despite its fast-absorbing texture, it still delivers plenty of moistureand continues to moisturize for up to 24 hours. Its free from parabens, fragrances, alcohols, and dyes. Also noteworthy is the addition of prebiotic oat, which is known to improve the skin barrier function and calm dry or itchy skin. Rodney also likes this option, lauding it for the addition of feverfew, which can help reduce redness.
Price at time of publish: $17
Active Ingredients: Prebiotic oat, feverfew | Skin Type: Sensitive | Size: 1.7 ounces | SPF: No | Cruelty-Free: No | No
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What Skincare Ingredients Should You Avoid If You Have Sensitive Skin
Caren Campbell, M.D., a San Francisco-based board-certified dermatologist, suggests avoiding moisturizers with acids and retinoids if you have sensitive skin as the actives can cause irritation with overuse. The same goes for fragrance and essential oils.
On the other hand, there are some ingredients that may help minimize reactions. It is important to help restore the balance of good bacteria to bad bacteria on the surface of the skin because any harsh products can easily throw off this balance and lead to facial redness and sensitivity, adds Jennifer Weiss, a New York City-based Physician Assistant at . Hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient to look for in moisturizers. It is naturally produced by the body to bind to and hold onto water. It acts as a sponge to lock in moisture and provide dewy, healthy skin. Niacinamide is another great ingredient for sensitive skin because it has anti-inflammatory properties.
Best Overall: Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion
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Approved by the National Eczema Association
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Works for face and body
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Comes in a pump bottle
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Need to reapply often
Who else recommends it? Medical News Today also picked the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion.
What do buyers say? 94% of 72,500+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.
A true classic, theres a good reason why people sing the praises of this cream over and over. This fragrance-free lotion touts three types of ceramides coupled with hydrating hyaluronic acid in a formula gentle enough to be accepted by the National Eczema Association. Plus, it works equally well on both your face and body.
Price at time of publish: $11
Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, three essential ceramides | Skin Type: Balanced, dry | Size: 8, 12, or 16 ounces | SPF: No | Cruelty-Free: No | No
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Best Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum For Men: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum
Despite the name, The Ordinary is anything but. The Ordinary, which has risen to fame recently for their affordable yet premium products, strikes again with their Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum.
This Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum is a vegan water-based serum thats lightweight and oil- and fragrance-free. Its composed of clean ingredients, giving you the peace of mind you want in a serum with every application.
Hyaluronic acid is at a concentration of 2%, which allows the product to penetrate and hydrate skin at multiple layers. Vitamin B5 is a powerful humectant and, when used in tandem with hyaluronic acid, this product leaves your skin exceptionally smooth, soft, hydrated and with higher moisture retention than before.
This product has been referred to as a super serum because of its effective formula and highly affordable price.
Best Face Serum For Men With Oily Skin: Mcaffeine Naked Detox Green Tea Face Serum
When you have oily skin, it can be nerve-racking to purchase a new skincare product, especially one like a serum. Fortunately, there is one serum you can buy and use with confidence that you wont have an impending breakout or excessive oil to battle: mCaffeine Naked Detox Green Tea Face Serum.
mCaffeine Naked Detox Green Tea Face Serum has some powerhouses in its formulation: caffeine, green tea and antioxidants. Caffeine goes beyond your favorite morning cup of coffee: In skincare, caffeine is an antioxidant that is known to protect skin from free radical damage while also reducing inflammation and puffiness.
Green tea is anti-inflammatory, which is great news for those with oily or acne-prone skin. Hyaluronic acid is also in this serum, providing impressive hydration and nourishment to your skin. Vitamin C then brightens and plumps. Whats not to love about this serum?
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Skinceauticals Daily Moisture $63
The SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture is another great option.
This is an extremely lightweight moisturizer that is designed for acne prone and oily skin that is dry. It moisturizes without clogging pores and breakouts, said Ramanadham. It contains botanical extracts, vitamin E and algae extracts that nourishes and protects skin without leaving it oiling or clogging pores.
Can You Layer Face Serums
You may have multiple skincare concerns that you want to address, or you simply want to give your skin a little extra love. Whatever the case may be, you can layer face serums. Serums are lightweight enough that you can use two of them at the same time. Some actually pair quite well, like those with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.
Just make sure that the two you choose are indeed compatible and that you wait 30 seconds to a minute before applying the second serum for proper absorption.
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One of the best ways to ensure your skin is plump and hydrated is with a daily moisturiser.
However, if you have sensitive skin, whether its prone to redness, irritation or inflammation easily, finding the right one is not as simple as it sounds, and its not always as easy as just picking one off the shelf.
Ingredients such as aloe vera, glycerin and hyaluronic acid are all ones to look out for when trying to alleviate dryness and dehydration. But with thousands of options on the market, it can feel like navigating a minefield of creams, lotions and gels.
To help you pick your perfect product, weve spent the last three months putting moisturisers to the test, and have whittled our list down to the selection of 11 below. We tried moisturisers from high-end and high-street brands across a range of budgets, addressing multiple needs, ranging from dryness and dehydration, oiliness to redness.
Read more:
Microneedling Treatment For Wrinkles
Microneedling is also known as Epidermal Collagen Induction Therapy . The process involves repeatedly pricking the skin in a careful and measured way. This causes very tiny injuries that prompt the skin to repair itself, naturally reproducing collagen and elastin as a result. The treatment also involves a mix of gels, serums, and creams to enhance the healing effects.
The microneedling treatment is considered a safe and effective method to decrease wrinkles on your face. This treatment has the wonderful result of producing collagen, which keeps the skin plump and agile. At the same time, microneedling also helps to stimulate the bodys elastin production, which repairs and restores the skins elasticity to its natural state. Both collagen and elastin are good for treating wrinkles on your face, as well as acne and poor skin texture.
Multiple microneedling treatments, spaced out over the course of 6 to 8 weeks, may be needed to achieve the best results. A benefit of microneedling is that it has a relatively short recovery time, meaning any discomfort experienced is temporary. You can also apply calming agents like hyaluronic acid and ascorbic acid before or after the procedure.
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Best Face Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin: Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
Why you should buy it: Drunk Elephants Protini Polypeptide Cream is formulated to restore younger, revived-looking skin targeting everything from wrinkles to signs of sun damage. And in our test, we found that its the best face moisturizer for those with sensitive skin because it works really well leaving us with zero irritation.
About the formula: First things first, this cream is vegan and free of essential oils, silicones and fragrance. Packed with peptides, growth factors, amino acids and pygmy water lily, its formulated to quench thirsty skin and leave you with a smooth, plump, bouncy complexion. Basically a recipe for youthful-looking skin.
What we like: Both testers of this moisturizer ranked it the best of all the ones they tried. While both describe their skin as combination with an oily T-zone, one remarked about having super sensitive and acne-prone skin. According to one tester, its scentless, the texture is lightweight, doubles as a primer for makeup, absorbs quickly and leaves my skin looking supple and glowy, and feeling super hydrated. Overall, this cream is for someone who wants lightweight, gel-cream consistency that will leave your skin feeling hydrated throughout the day.
What Should You Look For In A Moisturizer
Moisturizer ingredients will vary depending on your skin type.
Dry skin types benefit from heavier, oil-based options. Oily skin types benefit from lighter, water-based moisturizers.
Mature skin types tend to do well with oil-based products. Sensitive skin types benefit from soothing ingredients, such as aloe and fragrance-free formulas.
Combination skin types often do well with lighter, water-based formulas.
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Best Daytime Moisturizer: Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream
What We Love: This moisturizer helps neutralize redness.
What We Dont Love: It contains sesame oil which is a common allergen.
Finding an adequate daytime moisturizer for sensitive skin can feel like a daunting task you want something that feels weightless throughout the day, but still imparts intense hydration to keep skin comfortable. Thats where REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream comes in: This moisturizer feels like a splash of cool water on stressed-out, redness-prone skin thanks to lingonberry seed oil, which is rich in omega fatty acids to support the skin barrier, and licorice and seaweed extracts, which help calm irritation. Just a few dabs of the soothing formula can keep skin hydrated and supple, while simultaneously acting as an invisible shield to ward off pollution and other external aggressors. Plus, the brand is dedicated to making the planet a better place, so you can feel good knowing that this product is vegan, cruelty-free, and made from recycled materials.
Its important to call out that while this was created with sensitive skin in mind, the formula does contain sesame oil, which is a common allergen, so be sure to avoid it if you have a sensitivity to the ingredient.
Price at time of publish: $50
Skin Type: Dry and redness-prone | Size: 1.7 oz. | Active Ingredients: Lingonberry seed oil, Licorice extract, Seaweed extract, and Shea butter
Avne Tolerance Extreme Emulsion $38
Avene Tolerance Cream is my go-to recommendation for dry skin due to its minimal ingredients loaded with glycerin to support the skin barrier and moisture for exquisitely sensitive skin under more severe weather conditions, said Levin.
Lamb also recommends this Avene product. This moisturizer contains Vitamin E and Glycerin, which helps plump skin and leads to decreased appearance of fine lines, she said.
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How To Patch Test A Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin
Patch testing new skincare is incredibly important when you have sensitive skin. Its a method of testing skincare on a small area of skin before rubbing it all over the face. It makes the difference between having a tiny reaction that disappears quickly vs. triggering a major contact dermatitis reaction all over the face.
Heres how to do it.
- Choose an area where your skin is likely to react if there are issues. The crook of the elbow, the neck, or behind the ear are all fine choices.
- If your reactions are usually localized to your face, you can test a small patch on the cheek or forehead.
- Apply your new moisturizer to those patches for a few days in a row, taking into account how long it normally takes for you to react to something.
- If your reactions usually show up within 24 hours, thatll be good enough. If it normally takes two weeks, then you should patch test for that long.
- If your skin doesnt react badly, you can introduce the moisturizer into your daily skincare routine. If you experience any negative reaction, youll have to keep on searching.
How Often Should You Use A Face Serum
Just like you would with nearly any skincare or haircare product, you should always consult your face serums label for specific instructions. Typically, however, you should aim to use your face serum twice per day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Dont overuse a face serum because, as mentioned previously, its highly concentrated. That means applying this product too often could lead to undesirable effects, such as overdrying, pore-clogging, acne breakouts and oily skin.
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Best Face Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin Dermatologists Recommended 2021
1. Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel
This is absolutely one of the best face moisturizer for sensitive skin thats oily and acne-prone skin-friendly. Its a no-fuss moisturizer with minimal ingredients. Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel is a 100% water-based, oil-free, alcohol-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and non-allergenic gel that is super lightweight on the skin. It is loaded with skin-soothing ingredients such as Panthenol , Hyaluronic Acid , Allantoin , and Aloe Vera Juice. If everything has failed your oily sensitive skin, this is the best bet. No wonder, this is one of the Best Non-Comedogenic Moisturizers out there thats pH balanced as well.
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2. Cetaphil Daily Advance Ultra Hydrating Lotion
As much as Cetaphil Cleanser is famous for its gentleness, this DAM Lotion is no less in that aspect. This gentle face lotion is a boon for dry, sensitive skin types and skin issues such as rashes, psoriasis, eczema, and skin irritations. The lotion is alcohol-free, fragrance-free, pH balanced, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and dermatologist recommended. The richness of the lotion replenishes skin instantly and provides long-lasting hydration for upto 24 hours. This is a unisex product that can be used by both men and women.
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3. Simple Kind To Skin Light Hydrating Moisturizer
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4. Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume
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5. Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer
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7. Boroline
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